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The recent loss of four lives in a fire at a local boardinghouse where 13 mentally disabled men resided finally has the city of San Antonio moving forward on ways to regulate such group homes.

It's about time.

There is no time for bureaucratic finger-pointing over the delay in implementation of the local ordinances that could have prevented this terrible tragedy. City Council owes it to the vulnerable population that resides in these types of homes to move swiftly to enact an ordinance addressing the building and safety issues.

It is estimated there may be as many as 250 unregulated boarding homes in San Antonio, but the community has no way to put a valid number on them because no one really tracks such things.

Residents of boarding homes usually turn over most of their monthly Social Security or Supplement Security Income checks to pay for their lodging. For some, these types of residences are temporary, transitional lodging, but for many these homes become permanent residences. The lack of resources allows them few other options.

Unfortunately, the proliferation of such privately operated facilities will continue as baby boomers age and the availability of beds for mental health patients shrinks. The facilities cannot be allowed to continue operating without some sort of oversight.

This is not a new problem. It has been around for decades. Five years ago, state lawmakers balked at the $50 million price tag tied to expanding state oversight to include boarding homes and did nothing.

In 2009, the lawmakers approved legislation authored by Rep. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, allowing cities and counties take up that slack.

It comes as no surprise during these tough budget cycles to learn that, thus far, only the cities of El Paso and Dallas have enacted local regulation governing the operation of boarding homes.

The “new urgency” among city of San Antonio officials to get moving on a local ordinance is overdue, but encouraging.

State law allowing the local regulation of boarding homes provides for fees and fines, but the revenue won't cover all the costs involved. The five inspectors and two supervisors for code enforcement included in the new city budget by the city manager will help move the program along, but additional funding will probably still be required.

Regulation of boarding homes needs to be a City Council priority. Any further delays in safeguarding the health and safety of some of the most vulnerable residents in our community are inexcusable.